Duration
The invisible clock that keeps your arsenal alive against the endless tide.
Duration is not a weapon or relic in the traditional sense, but a fundamental passive mechanic that governs the lifespan of offensive tools within Vampire Survivors. It acts as an invisible timer for most active weapons, dictating how long a projectile, aura, or effect persists before vanishing from the battlefield. While it does not deal damage directly, its manipulation is critical for maintaining consistent pressure on hordes and enabling specific high-tier evolutions that rely on sustained presence.
- Type
- Passive Mechanic / Stat
- Function
- Extends projectile lifetime and aura duration
- Source Items
- ['Candelabrador', 'Witchbottle']
- Synergy Target
- Most Projectile and Aura Weapons
- Max Potential
- Varies by weapon evolution
Lore & Background
Ancient grimoires suggest that Duration is tied to the stability of one's soul against the entropy of the curse. When a survivor wields items like the Candelabrador, they are essentially anchoring their offensive magic to reality, preventing it from dissipating into the ether too quickly. This persistence allows for overlapping damage windows and creates zones of denial that can choke off enemy spawn points, turning a fleeting spark into an enduring inferno.
In Their Own Story
The moon hung low over Dacra, casting long shadows that seemed to breathe. The survivor checked their inventory; the Garlic was fading too fast, leaving gaps in the protective circle just as a swarm of Witches dove from the sky. With a desperate surge of will, they tapped into the hidden reservoir of Duration. Suddenly, the garlic bulbs glowed brighter, refusing to wither, and the projectiles from their wand hung suspended in mid-air like stars trapped in amber. The horde crashed against this wall of lingering magic, unable to break through as long as the survivor's resolve held firm.
Reader's Guide
Duration functions by increasing the time active weapons remain on screen or affect enemies. For projectile weapons like the Garlic or Wand, higher duration means bullets travel further before disappearing, covering more ground and hitting multiple targets in their path. To upgrade Duration, players must collect specific gems found during runs, such as the Candelabrador (which increases duration) or the Witchbottle (which also boosts duration while providing other benefits). These items stack to significantly extend weapon lifespans. Max level stats for Duration are not fixed numbers but depend on the number of upgrades collected. Generally, high levels allow projectiles to cross entire maps and auras to persist indefinitely during combat phases. Evolutions often require specific Duration thresholds. For instance, evolving certain weapons into their ultimate forms may necessitate having a Candelabrador at max level combined with a specific weapon, ensuring the attack lingers long enough to trigger the transformation.
Did You Know?
- The Candelabrador is one of the primary gems used to increase the Duration stat across all compatible weapons.
- High Duration values can turn short-range projectiles into area-denial tools that cover vast distances.
- Some weapon evolutions are impossible to achieve without maximizing the Duration stat first.